Page 49 of A Family Affair: The Vow
His deep voice shifted two decibels lower. “I know all about screw-ups, pride, and refusing to trust, but I almost lost the best thing that ever happened to me because of that damn pride and fear. Me, afraid? When have youeverheard me admit I was afraid of anything? I’ll tell you—never. But this was different. It was Harry who made me see if I didn’t get my act together, I was going to lose her and it wasn’t going to be temporary. I told myself I didn’t need her, it would only be a disaster, we weren’t meant to be together, but that was fear because deep down I was sure she was too good for me. And damn sure once she realized it, she’d leave. You know what happens when you do that? You make every situation around you fail, so you leave first.”
“I can’t trust her, Nate. If you can’t trust the person who’s supposed to be your partner, what do you have?”
Nate narrowed his gaze on Vic, his voice hard, commanding. “You can’t trust her because you’re afraid she’s going to leave. Afraid if you open up all the way she’s just going to hurt you again and you’re not going to put yourself through that, right?” Vic rubbed his jaw, nodded. “Okay then, go ahead and turn her away, keep shacking up with women who don’t matter, who don’t challenge you and don’t own your next breath. Do that and see how it works out. My guess is that one of these days you’re going to end up empty and alone… Not necessarily without baggage because you might convince yourself some other woman will do, or she’ll convince you when she turns up pregnant… But it won’t be the same. Hell, it won’t be anything like what you could share with Rae. And deep down, you know it.”
Of course, there wouldn’t be someone else like Rachel Darlington because he’d never let anyone else in. He was done. He was not going to—
“Do you really think she’s staying in town after Leah comes home just to help with the online stuff? Even a non-computer guy like me understands what remote work and online means. You don’t have to be physically present in a particular place to do the work. She’s waiting for you, you thickheaded idiot. She hasn’t given up, but if you don’t open your eyes, shewillleave and you’ll have to live with that, knowing the woman who loved you, who changed your world and made it matter, left because you pushed her away.” When Vic remained silent, Nate took another swig of beer, set it on the kitchen table. “I’m not going to talk about this again, because I hate butting into other people’s business. But my wife cares about Rae, considers her a friend, and therefore spends way too much time worrying about herandher situation with you. You see, when my wife is worried, I don’t like it. And I want to try to fix it, even when I know I can’t. That’s why I’m coming to you. Just this one time. Christine tells me the way Rae still talks about you, the tears, the regret, the hope that refuses to be snuffed out, and I have to ask, is this guy really going to let her go? Is he going to be the idiot I was because he’s hurt and afraid? Hell, relationships are a rough deal and I have enough trouble keeping mine in order, but if you get the right person, no matter how bad it gets, it’s still the best part of any world you can imagine.”
28
Betty Rafferty might be a single, gray-haired receptionist with two dogs and no significant other, but the woman sure loved her romance. The day after Nate’s visit, the one where he offered the closest thing he’d ever come to giving advice, Vic called Betty into his office, closed the door and asked her to tell him everything she’d been hearing lately about the woman he hadnotwanted to talk about…
Betty sat up straight in the chair, lit up like fireworks, and betweenoohsandaahsand tears, she relayed how Rachel Darlington was helping the town. “She’s working on this online store and Wanda Cummings is going to submit her knitting. Wanda says she’ll take the extra money and put it toward her grandchildren’s college funds. Imagine that?” A long sigh followed by a sniff.
“And Marisela Ricci? Why, that girl’s been working on those memory makers a long time, barely earning enough to cover the cost of her materials. Of course, she doesn’t need to worry about that now, not with that handsome and very successful fiancé of hers, but that’s not the point. A woman wants to be able to support herself.” Betty got sidetracked with talk of the fiancé and how he was a “real looker” but eventually she returned to the main subject. “Thanks to Rae and Christine’s help, Marisela is going to finally get noticed on a much larger scale than Magdalena. Isn’t that wonderful?”
She didn’t wait for Vic to reply before she rattled off another name. “There’s Ava Carlisle and those river rocks people love. Rae says they’re going to be a big hit and she’s thinking of packaging them in some way they call bundling. There could be seasonal themes, or special occasions, like graduations, birthdays, even weddings—” her voice dipped, and she held his gaze an extra second with that last possibility “—whatever a person wants. The whole town’s buzzing about all of it and even though you don’t want to hear, I’m surprised you didn’t.”
Vichadheard rumblings but hadn’t he shut them down and accused Rae of selling them a story that wasn’t based in reality? He’d believed she’d leave and he’d told her so. But Betty had other thoughts.
“People are digging in and trying to figure out what talents they have and it’s something to see. Remember those pictures Mimi took that are hanging in the town hall? The ones of seeds and dirt and whatnot? Well, those are going for sale too, and it’s not the money Mimi wants. She’s doing it to expose people to nature.” The woman’s smile spread. “Rae’s really good at what she does. She’s written biographies for these people, taken pictures of them, too. It all looks very professional. Christine’s going to be the money person and that makes sense, doesn’t it? That girl’s a numbers whiz. Taxes, how much to charge, what the percentages should be, all of that confusion I don’t understand.” She pointed a finger at Vic in case he doubted her next words. “Financials and ‘compliance,’ as Christine calls it, are very important.”
“No argument from me.” Maybe he should have asked Betty for the abridged version of what Rae had been doing when he was trying to ignore her because at this rate, the woman would still be talking at closing time.
“Lily and Pop are going to do what they call fulfillment, which is packaging up the goods and shipping them off. Rae will teach them how to do that.” A sigh, a nod. “She certainly has breathed new life into this town.”
Her voice shifted, turned softer than her old sweater. “She’s special, Vic. She’s not hoity-toity or self-serving. She cares.” A sniff and a bright-eyed “And she cares about you. Oh, she does want to help the town and do right by them, that’s true. But don’t you know she’s doing this for you? To show you who she really is?”
No, he hadn’t known that, at least not until Nate’s visit yesterday, and after a night of torment and too many questions, Betty had stepped in with more reasons he might have misjudged Rachel Darlington.
“I know you heard Josh and Hannah drove to Virginia…in Rae’s car...fancy, fancy. Did you also know Rae made reservations at some swanky restaurant, and Josh and Hannah got hot stone massages yesterday? Imagine that boy at a spa? Rae did that and I think it’s wonderful. Hannah said she can’t wait to get back and work on her jewelry. Did you know she makes earrings, necklaces, and bracelets? They’re beautiful, but she’s never been very focused. Until now. Rae’s given her some books on finding your passion, following your dream, and being a business owner. Dang if the girl isn’t reading them, too. It’s a true miracle. And Josh? I probably shouldn’t say this but he’s going to talk to you about what he really wants to do, which is work on cars… Like Max Ruhland kind of cars. He knows it will take time, but he said he’s finally got the confidenceandthe nerve to talk to you. Isn’t that just incredible? Can you even believe that the boy you worried wouldn’t show up for work has a goalanda vision?”
How had he missed so much? Vic dragged a hand over his face, blew out a long sigh. “I really screwed up, didn’t I, Betty?”
She reached across the desk, patted his hand with her bony fingers and smiled. “Just a bump in the road, Vic. All great loves experience them, but the only question that matters now is what are you going to do about it?”
Betty might be a romantic, but Harry Blacksworth was the king of romance. It was late afternoon when he stopped by ND Manufacturing, sank into a chair across from Vic’s desk and handed him a sheet of paper.
“That’s a play-by-play of how to get your girl back,” he said.
Vic eased the paper toward him began reading. “Reservation at Harry’s Folly tonight at 7:00 p.m., a dozen red roses because red symbolizes love. A bottle of wine followed by champagne. The champagne’s for the celebration that’s going to come when she forgives you for all the aggravation you caused her.” He glanced at Harry, frowned. “This is ridiculous.”
Those blue eyes skewered him. “Is it? Because from where I’m sitting, you’re in so deep you asked Betty for help.” His laughter filled the room.“Betty?What does that woman know? She’s probably never even...” He cleared his throat, pointed to the paper. “What’s next on the list?”
Vic shook his head. “Dress up.Dress up?What do you want me to do, wear a tux?”
The grin said not yet, but maybe for an occasion down the road. “No tux necessary, but a nice jacket and tie.” He pulled a folded tie from his jacket pocket, slid it across the desk. “That’s my lucky tie. Wear that and Rae’s sure to forgive you.”
Vic stared at the burgundy and silver striped tie. “Harry, I don’t need your tie.”
Those blue eyes turned bright. “Oh, but you do. You’re going to need every bit of help you can get. The tie’s going to be the clincher. You’ll see.” Then he went on to inform Vic that a man’s tie said a lot about him and tomorrow night, Harry would be wearing a light-up Santa tie for Christmas Eve. “Not because I love the damn thing because it’s corny as hell. I’m wearing it because the kids got it for me last Christmas and you should see how they friggin’ glow when I put it on. Hell, you’d thinkIwas Santa.”
Yeah, Vic bet a lot of people believed Harry BlacksworthwasSanta. The man had a big heart and a generous spirit, though he liked to pretend otherwise. Everybody figured he was one of the anonymous donors for the Christmas Drive, but Harry would never own up to it.
“I hear Betty talked you into a gift box for your girl. A collection of goodies from the town that she insists will melt Rae’s heart. We’ll see.” He stood, winked at Vic. “I’m rooting for you. You make a nice couple. I’ll see you at 7:00 p.m. and don’t forget the tie.”
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